Corner plate for brief bags and the like



= Jan. 19, 1960 D. KILIK CORNER PLATE FOR BRIEF BAGS AND THE LIKE FiledApril 16, 1959 INVENTOR. DH VI D Kl L! K CORNER PLATE FOR 'BRIEF BAGSAND THE LIKE David Kilik, South Orange, NJ.

Application'April 16, 1959,- Serial N0. 806,804

6 Claims. (Cl. 150-1-6) This invention concerns an improved corner footclip or plate for a brief case or similar article of luggage.

According to the invention there is provided a plate which is attachedto a brief bag by integrally formed prongs which are forced into an edgeof a bag to be protected by the plate. Foot plates of this generalcharacter have heretofore been riveted, which requires special machineryand is time consuming and laborious.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a corner foot platefor a brief bag, formed of pliable sheet metal and having interlockingintegrally formed prongs.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a foot plate for abrief bag, with an outwardly bowed portion for supporting the bag in anelevated spaced position above a supporting surface and withlongitudinal extensions for gripping and supporting the edge of the bagto provide a means for distributing the weight of the bag and forstiffening the edge if the bag.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings,

"and tothe appended claims in which the various novel features of theinvention are more particularly set-forth.

In'the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clip or plate embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a reduced side elevational view of the clip.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a brief bag showing clips embodying theinvention mounted thereon.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 55 of Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of another clip embodying theinvention.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the clip of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of a portion of another brief baghaving clips of the type shown in Figs. 6 and 7, mounted thereon.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 9-9 ofFig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of the clip shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 there is shown a clip 10' which is so shapedthat it can be stamped out of a single piece of pliable sheet metal. Theclip has two flat sides 12 and 14 and is generally U-shaped in crosssection. The bottom bight 16 of the clip is bowed downwardly withrespect to the straight top edges 18, 20. On edge 18 is integrallyformed three spaced prongs 22 which project inwardly toward the otherside of the clip. On edge are two spaced prongs 24. The prongs on theopposite sides are staggered so that they alternate in an interlockingor intermeshing fashion in projecting into the material of the luggage.Figs. 4 and 5 show how a pair of clips may be secured to bottom edge 26of a brief Patented Jan. 19, .1960

-bag-28. The clips are located near the corners of the bag and serve tosupport the bottom of the bag in an elevated position spaced from thebottom flat support B indicated by a dotted line in 4." The bottom ofthebag is elevated by a distance equal to the depthof 'the bowed bottoms16 of the clips.

Figs. 6-10 show another clip 10 which isprovided with extensions 30 and32 to its side walls 12 and 14 its sides bowed outwardly as shown inFigs. 6, 7 and 10 -in-ia manner similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 3.After the-elip'is pressed into place at the bottom edge of the brief bag28, the sides of the clip assume a parallel disposition asshown clearlyin Fig. 9.

Clip '10, when secured to the bag 28, also has its sides :12, 14 inparallel array as shown in Fig. 5. The structure of clip .10 ispreferred because the extensions 30 and 32 which abut the bottom edge 26of the bag, as shown in Fig. 9, provide enlarged supporting surfaceswhich distribute the weight of the bag better than is done with-clip-10.

lu -clip 10,-the weight of-thebag is supported on the U-shaped ends 15of the clip and on the interlocked .prongs 22, 24. This is also done inthe clip 10* but bag because of elongated longitudinal extensions whichdistribute the weight of the bag over a greater bearing surface. In clip10 the bottom edge of the bag is spaced from the inner side of bowedportion 16. This causes substantially the entire weight of the bag atthis portion to be supported by the prongs 22, 24. The supplementarysupport given by the extensions 30, 32 relieves the prongs 22 24 of amajor part of their weight carrying function so that they can serve togrip the edge of the bag without developing a tendency to enlarge theholes formed in the bag by the penetration of the prongs therein.

The clips are readily mounted on and removed from a bag as desired. Nospecial tools other than a pliers are required to press the sides of theclips together to effect secure engagement with the edge of the bag.They are durable, economical to manufacture and install and generallyprovide long trouble-free service.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various'changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A corner foot plate for an article of luggage, comprising anelongated metal clip having flat outwardly flaring sides and beinggenerally U-shaped in cross section, the bottom of the clip between endsthereof having a portion longitudinally bowed outward to provide a meansfor spacing the luggage from a flat support when the clip is attached toa bottom edge thereof, and means for attaching the clip to said edge ofthe luggage, said clip having integrally formed portions extending fromopposite ends of the bowed portion to provide weight hearing surfacesfor said luggage.

2. A corner foot plate for an article of luggage, comprising anelongated metal clip having fiat outwardly flaring sides and beinggenerally U-shaped in cross section, the bottom of the clip between endsthereof having a portion longitudinally bowed outward to provide a meansfor spacing the luggage from a flat support when the clip is attached toa bottom edge thereof, and means for attaching the clip to said edge ofthe luggage, said clip having integrally formed end portions extendingfrom opposite ends of the bowed portion to provide weight hearingsurfaces for said luggage, said fiat sides of the clip having freestraight upper edges, said means'being integrally formed prongs spacedapart and extending inwardly toward each other on the respective edges.

3. A corner foot plate for an article of luggage, comprising anelongated metal clip having fiat outwardly flaring sides and beinggenerally U-shaped in cross sec tion, the bottom of the clip betweenends thereof having a portion longitudinally bowed outward to provide ameans for spacing the luggage from a fiat support when the clip isattached to a bottom edge thereof, and means for attaching the clip tosaid edge of the luggage, said clip having integrally formed endportions extending from opposite ends of the bowed portion to provideweight bearing surfaces for said luggage, said fiat sides of the cliphaving free straight upper edges, said means being integrally formedprongs spaced apart and extending in wardly toward each other on therespective edges, said prongs on the respective edges being staggered sothat they intermesh when the clip is attached to said bottom edge of theluggage, said end portions of the clip relieving said prongs of a majorportion of the weight of the luggage to prevent enlargement of holes inthe bottom edge of the luggage caused by penetration of the prongstherein.

4. A corner foot plate for an article of luggage, comprising anelongated metal clip having flat outwardly flaring sides and beinggenerally U-shaped in cross section, the bottom of the clip between endsthereof having a portion longitudinally bowed outward to provide a meansfor spacing the luggage from a fiat support when the clip is attached toa bottom edge thereof, and means for attaching the clip to said edge ofthe luggage, said clip having integrally formed end portions extendingfrom opposite ends of the bowed portion to provide weight bearingsurfaces for said luggage, said fiat sides of the clip having freestraight upper edges, said means being integrally formed prongs spacedapart and extending inwardly toward each other on the respective edges,said prongs on the respective edges being staggered so that theyintermesh when the clip is attached to said bottom edge of the luggage,said end portions of the clip relieving said prongs of a major portionof the weight of the luggage to prevent enlargement of holes in thebottom edge of the luggage caused by penetration of the prongs thereinsaid metal being pliable so that the sides of the clip assume a paralleldisposition when secured to the edge of the article of luggage.

5. A corner foot plate for an article of luggage, comprising a cliphaving a U-shaped cross section, prongs extending inwardly at opposedfree upper edges of the clip, and an outwardly bowed bight portion forelevating the luggage above a fiat support, said clip having at leastone U-shaped portion extending longitudinally from atleast one end ofthe bowed bight portion for relieving said prongs of a major portion ofthe weight of the luggage.

6. A corner foot plate for an article of luggage, comprising a cliphaving a U-shaped cross section, prongs extending inwardly at opposedfree upper edges of the clip, and an outwardly bowed bight portion forelevating ,the luggage above a flat support, said clip having U- shapedportions extending from opposite ends of said bowed bight portion andproviding weight distributing bearing surfaces for said luggage.

